Alternate history allows us to explore how pivotal events could have dramatically reshaped the world. One of the most consequential “what if” scenarios of the 20th century involves the Russian Civil War (1917–1923). What if the White Army — a loose coalition of monarchists, republicans, liberals, and anti-Bolshevik socialists — had triumphed over the Red Bolsheviks? How would Russia, Europe, and the world have changed?
Introduction
History is often shaped by a few decisive events. One of those events, little-known outside of Eastern Europe, was the conquest of Novgorod by Muscovite forces in 1478. The fall of Novgorod marked not only the loss of one of the oldest and wealthiest republics of medieval Europe but also the victory of authoritarian centralism over early forms of participatory governance in the Russian lands.
But what if history had taken a different turn? What if Novgorod had survived, retained its independence, and developed into a major player on the European stage? This article explores that alternate timeline—and what the modern world might look like if Novgorod had remained free.
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